ʻULU PRODUCTION PRIMER
Pests & Diseases
Premiere publication on Breadfruit Diseases
Download: Breadfruit and Breadfruit Diseases in Hawai‘i: History, Identification and Management (PDF)
Overview
- Observe orchard regularly for incidence of disease in individual trees or clusters.
- Most breadfruit diseases are fungal, so best to minimize high heat and high humidity conditions, such as by regular pruning.
- Of the most common diseases in Hawaii, phytopthora is the most threatening; it has been found to severely damage trees and even lead to tree mortality.
Sample diseases
Phytopthora
Download: Fact sheet – Breadfruit Phytophthora fruit rot (130)
- Observed under wet & humid conditions, and in soil that is poorly drained.
- Prune low branches, remove infected fruit from the immediate area of the tree.
In Hawaiʻi, the following diseases are rare, but elsewhere may be of concern:
Fruit Anthracnose
- Common in shady, wet locations. Uncommon in Hawaiii.
Fusarium twig rot
- Dieback of branches; symptom of trees in poor health.
- Prune infected branches off, and destroy.
Rhyzopus soft rot
- Soft, watery rot of mature fruit.
- Severe on ripening fruit, on the tree, and is a post-harvest disease that arises during transport or storage.
Pests
Pests: three pests in Hawaii currently affect breadfruit growers, and more new invasive species are introduced each year.
LFA – Little Fire Ant: must be treated with soapy water bath post harvest; must pass agriculture inspection for interisland shipping.
QLB – Queensland Longhorn Beetle: it is not clear how much this relatively new pest affects breadfruit tree health or productivity.
Fruit flies: this pest is only a concern if exporting fresh fruit.
NEXT: Harvest & Post-Harvest
